Written and Directed by Alla Kovgan and Distributed by Magnolia Pictures, CUNNINGHAM opens today December 13, 2019 in Los Angeles at the Santa Monica Laemmle Royal located at 11523 Santa Monica Blvd., among other theaters.
“The iconic Merce Cunningham and the last generation of his dance company is stunningly profiled in Alla Kovgan’s 3D documentary, through recreations of his landmark works and archival footage of Cunningham, John Cage, and Robert Rauschenberg.” IMDb
SYNOPSIS
CUNNINGHAM traces Merce Cunningham’s artistic evolution over three decades of risk and discovery (1944-1972), from his early years as a struggling dancer in postwar New York to his emergence as one of the world’s most visionary choreographers. The 3D technology weaves together Merce’s philosophies and stories, creating a visceral journey into his innovative work. A breathtaking explosion of dance, music, and never-before-seen archival material, CUNNINGHAM is a timely tribute to one of the world’s greatest modern dance artists.
“Dancing for me is movement in time and space. Its possibilities are bound only by our imaginations and our two legs.” – Merce Cunningham
Those who went on the Merce Cunningham Dance Company’s 1964 World Tour included nine dancers: Merce Cunningham, Carolyn Brown, Viola Farber, Shareen Blair, Barbara Lloyd Dilly, Sandra Neels, William Davis, Steve Paxton, and Albert Reid; two musicians, John Cage and David Tudor; the designer, Robert Rauschenberg, and his assistant, the painter Alex Hay and Hay’s then wife Deborah Hay, who would be a tenth dancer in a few pieces; and two administrators, Lewis Lloyd and David Vaughan. – Information from Merce Cunningham: Fifty Years by David Vaughan
Director: Alla Kovgan With: Ashley Chen, Brandon Collwes, Dylan Crossman, Julie Cunningham, Jennifer Goggans, Lindsey Jones, Cori Kresge, Daniel Madoff, Rashaun Mitchell, Marcie Munnerlyn, Silas Riener, Glen Rumse, Jamie Scott, Melissa Toogood.
Running time: 93 MIN.
Check your local papers or online listings for showtimes.
Compiled by Jeff Slayton for LA Dance Chronicle, December 13, 2019.
